Back by popular demand we are offering two coffees ideally suited for creating the OG blend: Mokha Java. Look this blend up on the Internet for a fascinating story about how it came to be. Now to the coffees: Yemen Mokha Sana’ani was roasted to Full City with final thermoprobe temperature of 435 degrees and roast time of 16 minutes. We opted for a slow finish in the profile to tame the fruity punch of this coffee. Sumatra Takengon Classic was roasted to Full City+ with a final temp. of 444 degrees and roast time of 16 minutes. Tom and I tasted two different ratios: 2/3 Sumatra : 1/3 Yemen yielded a very balanced cup with the solid body and rustic notes of the Sumtra taking center stage while the fruity accents of the Yemen danced in the wings. 1/3 Sumatra : 2/3 Yemen was also outstanding with the wildness of the Yemen leading the way and the slight spice of the Sumatra still evident. This cup had a tea-like dryness and was very refreshing.

Since the SCAA show in Atlanta, I have been looking to offer a new espresso machine. Why start to offer an expensive espresso machine in the midst of the Great Recession? Well, I guess it is because I am contrary by nature. And these machines are so nice! With a tool like this you can make excellent espresso at home. We are offering two models: the Giotto "Professional" is a plumbed-in machine that, interestingly, can also be used without plumbing it in. See my note on the details page. The rotary pump has sufficient power to draw water from an external container. The "Premium Plus" has a water reservoir and is designed to be used without plumbing lines. We tested these machines for nearly 2 months before offering them, and feel they represent both solid design and solid craftsmanship in their build. Paired with a good grinder and some basic espresso technique, you can truly produce great espresso time and time again with these machines.
Both the machines are based on the same chassis and same body design, and share many components including the proven E-61 group head design. The key differences are significant, but do not make for a long list. There is the difference in pump type (the Professional, is a rotary pump machine and the Premium Plus, is a vibratory pump machine). There is the water uptake between the plumbed-in vs. non-plumbed-in designs, as well as the drip tray in the Professional that has a drain hole, whereas the Premium must be emptied manually. To be straight forward, we think that the plumbed-in Professional model suits the needs of the home enthusiast much better than the Premium Plus, and, even when run using external containers for the water supply and drip tray waste, will make for a much better experience. That's our bias. As I said, we tested the machine for 2 months or more, and have a lot more information on this Giotto Details page.

We are adding a new Standard espresso blend today that we plan to keep in stock. Note that this Standard is lower-toned than our brighter lighter-roast Workshop series. This is a second take on our Classic Italian Espresso blend. Tom is calling this Sweet Maria's New Classic Espresso blend. Thick body, almond, chocolate; it's a classic Euro-style espresso profile but it's Robusta-free. A mix of traditional and modern = New Classic. Check out Tom's review